A Program Evaluation Process to Meet the Needs of English Language Learners.

Abstract

In the United States, teacher certification and teacher preparation requirements vary from state to state. Presently, only four states require specific coursework to address the language, cultural, and educational needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.). This translates to less than 16% of institutions of higher education requiring preparation for content area teachers on the education of ELLs (Menken & Antunez, 2001). On 22 September 2007, the state department of education in northeast state mandated that by 1 January 2011, all teacher preparation programs in the state must include the competencies and skills needed to meet the instructional needs of ELLs. No funding was provided by the state department to implement the new mandate. In the future, preparation programs must include at least three credits, 90 hours, or combination of these to address the specific needs of English language learners (22 PA Code, Chapter 49, [section] 49.13(b)). Hours were limited to a combination of seat hours of classroom instruction, field observation experiences, major research assignments, and development and implementation of lesson plans (22 PA Code, Chapter 49.13, definitions). The state definition of English Language Learner (ELL) followed the federal definition of Limited English Proficient (LEP) as an individual who (i) was not born in the United States or whose native language is language other than English and comes from an environment where language other than English is dominant; or (ii) is Native American or Alaska Native or who is native resident of the outlying areas and comes from an environment where language other than English has had significant impact on such individual's level of English language proficiency; or (iii) is migratory and whose native language is other than English and comes from an environment where language other than English is dominant; and (B) who has sufficient difficulty speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language and whose difficulties may deny such individual the opportunity to learn successfully in classrooms where the language of instruction is English or to participate fully in our society. (No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title IX, [section] 9101) National statistics revealed that the enrollment of English language learners is steadily increasing and that presently 9.4% of the total school age population (U.S. Department of Education, 2010) or 4.6 million students were identified as ELL (U.S. Department of Education, 2012). Data further indicated that the highest growth occurred in grades 7 to 12. For this northeast state, 42,167 students or 2.6% of the school age population (PA Department of Education, n.d.) were identified as ELLs and the five most common first languages spoken were Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic. Schools are required to provide an educational program for English language learners (NCLB, Title III). Approximately 43% of all general education teachers in grades K to 12 nationally, or an estimated 1.2 million teachers, taught ELLs (Zehler, Fleischman, Hopstock, Stephenson, Pendick, & Sapru, 2003). However, teachers reported limited training in educating this population. Teachers working with three or more ELLs reported receiving an average of four hours of training in instruction for ELLs. In addition, national survey data indicated that teachers were least likely to have professional development related to ELLs, with only 26% participating in ELL training in the last year (U. S. Department of Education, NCES, 2001). Furthermore, teachers recognized that they were unprepared, such that only 27% reported being very well prepared to work with ELLs. Even though teachers reported feeling unprepared to work with English language learners, they must educate and set high standards for these students. High achievement goals were emphasized with federal legislation such as the No Child Left Behind Act, which focuses on educational achievement and holding schools accountable, including provisions that ELLs learn English and make adequate yearly progress in content areas (NCLB, Title III, [section] 3102). …

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